# No power steering at slow speeds **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 28, 2014, 4:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-steering-at-slow-speeds/87402 "2014-09-28T04:27:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DadLumpfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@DadLumpfish](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DadLumpfish)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 4:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-steering-at-slow-speeds/87402/1 "2014-09-28T04:27:01Z")
My 2004 Outback power steering was growling and squealing, but it was working ok at the time. I decided to replace the power steering pump before it completely failed and 3 hours later I was done. the growling and squealing was gone. However, when I backed the car out it was hard to steer at first. When I got going it all worked great, until I turned at the corner… hard steering again. When I got around the corner and up to speed everything is great again. The problem did not go away with time. Every time I turn at idle there seems to be no power steering. What is going on? ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-steering-at-slow-speeds/87402/2 "2014-09-28T04:29:16Z")
My guess would be that you either did not tighten the drive belt properly or that the belt is slipping. A new pump is harder to turn and replacing the belt will usually fix the problem. I hope you got all the air out of the new pump because that can cause problems as well. ---
**Author:** ![meanjoe75fan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meanjoe75fan/32/552_2.png) [@meanjoe75fan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meanjoe75fan)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 4:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-steering-at-slow-speeds/87402/3 "2014-09-28T04:33:30Z")
Concur. Sounds like the belt is slipping only when much is asked of it…like.making sharp turns at low speed. Suspect old or poorly-tensioned belt. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-steering-at-slow-speeds/87402/4 "2014-09-28T04:38:17Z")
No Check Engine light? Tester ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2014, 4:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-steering-at-slow-speeds/87402/5 "2014-09-28T04:41:05Z")
To purge the sir out of the steering rack, turn the wheel lock-to-lock 3 times. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 1:06am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-steering-at-slow-speeds/87402/6 "2014-09-29T01:06:02Z")
Some cars have a fluid filter screen on the pump intake inside the reservoir…If they plug up it will starve the pump…Check that first… ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/no-power-steering-at-slow-speeds/87402/7 "2014-09-29T02:55:12Z")
The problem might be with the power steering pressure sensor on the power steering pump. This sensor sends a signal to the computer along with the vehicle speed sensor to determine how much power steering assist is required for the speed that the vehicle traveling. Tester